


#13 Journey Home

by gpadow



Category: Gunsmoke, Matt/Kitty
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-09-20
Updated: 2011-09-20
Packaged: 2017-10-23 21:52:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/255400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gpadow/pseuds/gpadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>M&K join a wagon train</p>
            </blockquote>





	#13 Journey Home

**Author's Note:**

> This story respectfully features characters and canon from the television series, Gunsmoke, which aired in 1955. They do not belong to me.

#13 Journey Home

 

Jan. 12th, 2010 at 1:05 PM

 

Kitty Russell read the sign and couldn't keep from smiling. She moved behind her big man, hoping that by standing behind him he would block the words that were threatening to send her into uncontrollable laughter.  
The line moved forward and once again the sign came into view.  
Kitty put her head down, then left the building.

US Marshal Matt Dillon waited not too patiently for his turn in line. He knew the weary man behind the counter would not have encouraging news. Overheard bits of conversations told the lawman they would not be getting a stage out today - but when?

Finally his turn came. "Dodge City, Kansas. Or anything going to Garden City, or Hayes, or, well, I guess the best chance is Topeka or Wichita.."

"There won't be a stage today, mister. And probably not for a few more days. If you're lucky, that is," the man droned without looking up from his ink-stained schedules.

"Look, Mr. Potts, I'm a US Marshal out of Dodge, and I've got to get back there as soon as possible."

"It's Pott."

"What?"

"Pott.  
The name is Pott, not Potts."

"Well then, Mr. Pott, can you tell me when the next.."

"Marshal, there ain't gonna be a stage. The roads is still closed cause of the twisters and floods. We just got the telegraph line back up. The only way out of here is to join one of the small wagon trains headin' toward Ft. Riley and parts west of here where you can catch a train or stage. Sorry, but that's the only way unless you want to wait here for a week or so."

"A week or so!"

Matt sighed and turned to get Kitty's reaction, but she was gone. He walked onto the boardwalk and saw her standing off to the side of the depot, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

"Don't be upset, Kitty, I'll find a way to get us home," Dillon said tenderly.

The lovely redhead looked up at him with a puzzled expression. Her face brightened by a big smile, Kitty giggled and said, "I wasn't crying because I'm upset, Matt. It's from laughing."

Now it was his turn to be puzzled. Kitty leaned into him and pointed over at the depot.  
"It's the sign. It just struck me as very funny and, well, I guess I'm tired, but I just couldn't stop from laughing."

"At what?"

"There."

"It just says Stuart Pott, Stationmaster. What's so funny about that?"

"Stu Pot - that just struck me as.."  
Kitty began to giggle again.

Matt grinned, immediately caught up in her sense of humor, and said, "Oh, so do you think his wife is .."

(pause)

"Honey Pott!" they said together.

Passersby glanced at the couple who were by now nearly falling down laughing.

 

###

Kitty poured herself a cup of coffee and was aware of the attention she was getting from a few of the men who passed through the hotel lobby. She looked up to see Matt Dillon's large silhouette fill the entrance. Even with the back-lighting from the afternoon sun she could read his body language.

The marshal's long strides took him to the corner table where the tired lawman sat down, pulling his chair closer to his lady, who poured him a cup of coffee and waited for him to speak. Their eyes met, and Kitty could see he was holding something under his coat. Matt placed a bottle of whiskey on the table in front of them. Neither made an attempt to open it as they sipped their coffee in silence.

"There's a small group of folks heading out by wagon train in the morning, Kitty."

Matt finished his coffee, and Kitty reached for the bottle, pouring some whiskey into the empty cup, then adding some to her own, before replying.

"And they can make room for us?"

"Yeah."

"Well, you can finally take off that courtin' coat, cowboy."

 

###

Four men, three women, and a young boy stood in a line in front of three covered wagons. The men held their hats at their sides. Two of the men quickly put on their hats and moved to help the young man struggling with Kitty's large trunk. Matt handed one of them a couple hat boxes and his leather suitcase, a gift from Kitty to replace his old, beat-up carpetbag. They worked at adding the baggage to the last wagon; then one of the men climbed aboard.

"Morning, Marshal, ma'am." The weathered face of Thom Harris bowed slightly. One of the women quickly moved to his side.  
"Uh, this here is my wife, Martha."

"Good morning, folks, Matt replied as he extended his hand. I'd like to introduce Miss Russell."

Under his leather vest, Matt wore a faded red work shirt. Kitty wore a cream-colored blouse and a yellow plaid skirt. She had put on only one ring and her smallest earrings. At Matt's suggestion, she wore very little paint.

Martha looked Kitty over and asked, "Can you cook, then?"

"I'll do whatever I can to help," Kitty said flatly.

Matt quickly added, "We sure do appreciate you folks letting us ride along. Better get started."

 

###

The wagon party was made up of two large and one small covered wagons. Matt and Kitty rode in the smaller wagon between the other two. Thom and Martha Harris rode the lead wagon, with Lucy Profit and her son Robby. Lucy's husband, Carl Profit, rode horseback alongside the third wagon, driven by Thom's brother Eli Harris and his wife Linda. Another man, Ty Landry, rode ahead on horseback. The men would take turns riding horseback, but Landry would always ride the scout horse ahead of the group.

Young Robby would occasionally look out from the back of the lead wagon to smile and wave at Matt and Kitty. They would wave back, but the boy would eventually be pulled back inside, out of sight.

Kitty leaned against Matt and closed her eyes, but sleep was impossible. She was gaining new respect for the people who settled the frontier, and wondered where this little band of brave souls would eventually call home.

Matt put his arm around her and held her close.  
"We still have St. Louis to remember, Kitty," he said softly.  
She wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled.

 

###

Everyone worked steadily and efficiently to take care of the wagons and horses and to set up camp. Even Robby scurried about, fetching things and being useful. He would smile up at Kitty from time to time, and asked if she needed any help lifting the cast iron stew pot.  
The boy didn't know what he did or said to suddenly make the pretty lady with the bright red hair smile, but he enjoyed watching her face light up and listening to the sound of her voice.

Matt and Kitty sat on her trunk, talking quietly, a little off to the side of the fire, and away from the others.  
"I could sure use a drink, Cowboy," she said tipping her head down to the trunk.

"Let me talk to Thom Harris first, Kitty," Matt said, stroking her shoulder.

There was only one extra plate and cup without having to unpack their belongings, so Matt and Kitty said they would share. Lucy Profit insisted she and her son share, and Robby brought a second plate of food to Matt and then dashed back with a cup of coffee.

"Thank you, son."

Kitty reached into her reticule, retrieved a strip of horehound and held it out for the boy.  
"A piece of candy is always good after a meal, and after all, you've worked so hard, Robby."

Robby's eyes widened, and he gently took the treat from Kitty and smiled up at her.  
Then, to her surprise, he suddenly jumped into her lap, throwing his little arms around her neck, exclaiming "Oh, thank you!"

"Now hold on a minute! You better find your own girl," Matt admonished. He then winked to show the boy he was kidding.

The Harris and Profit families stopped eating to stare at the little tableau. Robby had wedged himself between Matt and Kitty and was happily sharing their meal. The handsome couple seemed to be enjoying his company.  
The scene even brought a smile to the face of Martha Harris.

The sound of an approaching horse caused the men to stand. Matt had his hand on his gun, and Eli Harris had picked up his rifle.  
"Landry?" Thom Harris called out.

"Yeah, it's me." Ty Landry walked into camp, brushing the dirt and dust from his shirt.

"Make sure you take on as much water as possible. It's dry as bones out there."

Carl Profit handed his empty plate to Martha to fill for Landry. "I'll take care of your horse and bring your saddle back."

"Much obliged," Landry said as he drank some strong, black coffee.

Kitty came to stand next to Matt with Robby holding her hand. She could sense the lawman's instincts told him Landry had something to report.

The hungry scout looked up at the anxious faces and said, "We need to have a guard posted all night. I'll take the first watch so I can let out at dawn."

"What did you find, Landry?" Matt asked in his deep marshal's baritone.

"A homestead. Burned out. Family dead. Stock run off. Then another one, just the same. That's why we have to cut south even though there's very little water that way."

"Could it have been a twister?" asked Linda Harris.

"Indians."

"This far east? I haven't heard of any problems with Indians along the Kansas/Missouri border," Matt said.

"Might be renegades, Marshal. They used bullets, not arrows. Couldn't tell from all the tracks how many."

"Then how do you know it was Indians, Mr. Landry?" asked Lucy Profit. She held her hand out for her son, and Robby ran to her side.

"From the bodies, ma'am."

Thom Harris stepped forward before speaking.  
"I'm putting two men on guard. The marshal and I will take the first watch, then Eli and Carl. Landry, you best be getting some sleep tonight."

 

###

Kitty had purposely placed their bedrolls on the other side of the trunk. It was farther from the warmth of the fire, but would give them a little privacy.

"What are you doing way over there?" Kitty asked softly. She reached out to grab onto her man's shirt sleeve and pull him toward her.

"I didn't want to wake you," he whispered.

"I'm alone on this cold, hard ground. Sleep? Get over here, Cowboy."

Matt nodded his head in the direction of the others.

"First the whiskey, now..  
Matt Dillon, you get over here right now, or I'm coming over to you - and not quietly."

"Yes ma'am."

Matt rolled over next to Kitty and snuggled against her. She pulled the thin blanket over him as he buried his head on her breasts and sighed deeply.  
Kitty held him close and ran her hands through his wavy hair. She knew he was exhausted and needed to sleep.

Matt's eyes were closed, and he felt himself drift off in the comforting and familiar feel and scent of the woman who owned his heart.

"Too heavy?"

"Never."

Kitty smiled at this exchange they had repeated so many times over the years.

Their breathing fell into a rhythm as they slept in each other's arms.

 

###

The sun was just breaking the horizon when Kitty realized the smell of coffee meant she should be up to help break camp for the continued journey.  
She hated to stir knowing it would wake Matt, and she loved those rare moments when she would wake before him and watch him sleep.

Suddenly Kitty was aware they were being watched.

She looked over her shoulder to find the grinning face of Robby Profit looking down at them from the top of her trunk.

"Oh, Hello.  
Matt, we have company," Kitty said as she tapped his shoulder and tried not to laugh.

"My Pa likes to sleep like that sometimes!" Robby announced.

Lucy grabbed her son from the trunk as if hauling a sack of potatoes and declared, "Robert Carl Profit, you leave these nice folks be and go find your Pa right now!"

Matt lifted his head from the pillow of Kitty's breasts and looked at her sheepishly. She had to giggle at his red face.

"Good morning, Cowboy."

"Morning, Kitty."

They both sat up and peered over the trunk.  
Matt helped Kitty to her feet. She was obviously very stiff which made him feel guilty. She sat on the trunk as Matt walked over to the campfire where Thom Harris handed him two cups of coffee.

"Thanks, Thom. Has Landry already left?"

"About half an hour ago. Soon as Eli and Carl come in, we'll break camp."

Eli Harris had already arrived and was taking a plate of food from Martha.

"It was pretty quite along the river, Thom, just like your watch. Any stirrings from over the hill?"

"Robby just went to fetch Carl. I guess things was pretty quiet there, too."

"Where is that boy?" Lucy wondered out loud.

Eli looked around for his wife. "Linda about?"

"She went to fetch some extra water, Thom replied. Didn't you pass her on the way back from the river?"

Matt and Kitty sat on the trunk sipping coffee while he rubbed her neck and shoulder.  
Martha and Lucy noticed this and smiled at each other.

"Ma! Ma!"

All heads turned as Robby came running into camp and threw himself into his mother's arms. He was crying, and Matt and Kitty both looked from the boy to each other as they noticed the same thing: his little hands were covered in blood.

 

###

"I thought Pa was asleep," Robby sobbed quietly as Martha washed his hands with a wet cloth. The boy was on his mother's lap, but Lucy Profit couldn't respond to her son. She just stared in the direction of the trees where Thom, Eli, and Matt had gone to look for her husband.

The three women looked up as Thom and Eli carried the dead body of Carl Profit into camp. Lucy let out a wail, and Martha threw her arms around the woman and child.

Kitty ran to the trunk to retrieve the bottle of whiskey.  
She knew Matt stayed back to look for tracks and evidence of what had taken place during the night.

She also knew Linda Harris had been gone far too long.

 

###

Her sleeves were rolled up and the cold metal rifle barrel rested against her forearm as Kitty Russell circled the camp, watching shadows move and listening for sounds of - what? What does a renegade sound like when he is waiting for the opportunity to strike?

Kitty climbed to the top of the rise and looked out, hoping to find Matt or Thom and Eli returning with Linda Harris. No riders or even the dust of riders. No Indians, either.  
The redhead was relieved but also dismayed that there was no sign of another wagon train, or of soldiers off in the distance.

Suddenly there was a sound behind her that made Kitty fall to the ground and take aim at the bottom of the hill. She tried to focus her eyes while keeping still, barely breathing.  
There it was again. Someone was at the base of the hill, making his way toward her. The sound of the scree as it shifted and slid under his heavy boots gave her a point of reference, and Kitty prepared to fire the Winchester as soon as the phantom appeared before her.

"Kitty?"

"Oh, Matt!"

"Where are you," Matt called out.

Kitty rose from the grassy cliff and her heart rose, too, as the tall figure of Matt Dillon struggled up the steep incline.

"You weren't supposed to go so far from the camp, Kitty, just guard the perimeter.  
You shouldn't have left the others alone, and you shouldn't be out here all by yourself."

"And you shouldn't sneak up like that. I almost shot you!"

Kitty was clearly hurt that Matt scolded her rather than take her in his arms. She defiantly turned her back on him.

Matt reached down to take the rifle in his left hand and circled Kitty in his right arm, pulling her to him. "I'm sorry, honey," he whispered as he kissed her ear.

The rare endearment melted Kitty's defenses, and she turned to wrap her arms tightly around him.

"You didn't find her, did you?"

"No."

They started down the slope of the hill and walked back toward camp without speaking. Finally, Matt asked, "How are Lucy and the boy?"

"Martha has been watching over Lucy. She still seems to be in shock. They put some flowers on the grave, and she just sits there. Robby seems to understand that his Pa is gone, but he doesn't know what to do to help her.

I don't either, Matt."

"I know, Kitty. It's rough feeling so helpless.

Eli wants everyone to move on and meet up with Landry. He won't leave without knowing what happened to Linda."

"What will we do, Matt?"

"That will be up to Thom Harris."

 

###

 

The wagons were ready, and Martha was waiting with Matt and Kitty while the Harris brothers stood talking several yards away. Lucy and Robby were already on the lead wagon. The boy was looking curiously at the scene while his mother held a vacant stare.

Finally, the two men approached, and Thom cleared his throat before speaking.

"Eli and I been discussing our options here, folks. I told him we would all stay together and search for Linda, but he's not having it.

Landry will be scouting ahead and may have some news. He'll soon be wonderin' where we got to.

I told Eli we'd take their things from the wagon and go ahead with the other two if he's a mind to stay back and look for his wife."

Thom turned sad eyes toward his brother, then continued. "Eli, you say the rest."

Eli Harris took a step forward and said, "I told Thom that he and Martha should take our belongings, and if Linda and I ever meet up at the Colorado homestead, fine. But if not, well, better they have 'em."

Kitty looked up at Matt. So they are heading to Colorado. She realized they knew very little about the people they were traveling with and would soon leave behind.

"I'm gonna take a horse and a few supplies," Eli continued. "Now, that means you folks will be a man short to drive the wagons. You may have to leave some stuff behind, so it's okay if you want to take our things out.

Ain't gonna need 'em," he said with bowed head.

(pause)

"I can drive one of the wagons."

Thom, Eli, and Martha stared at Kitty.

Matt put his hand on her shoulder. "She can," he said.

Before anyone could protest, Kitty added, "I'll drive the smaller, second wagon. When we get to Lawrence, you can find someone who'll hire on for the rest of the trip, or Mr. Landry can use it to scout ahead rather than go by horseback."

"You folks didn't figure on this kind of trouble when you paid for a ride, Thom Harris said.

You took a train from St. Louis to Kansas City, and just needed to get to where you could catch a stage to Topeka so's you could get a train home.

I'm giving you that money back; seems only fair."

"Thom, Kitty and I are grateful for your help, and a deal is a deal.  
I just wish there was some way I could help Eli go after the men that took Linda," Matt said.

He licked his lips and took a deep breath before saying more. The big lawman had been respectful of Thom Harris's role as the leader of this small group of pioneers, but his natural figure of authority seemed to be welcomed.

These folks are brave, but badly shaken, and need the confidence Matt can provide, Kitty thought.

"You and Martha continue in the lead wagon. Kitty will handle the second wagon just fine. Lucy and Robby can ride with me in the last one."

Lucy took her son's hand and walked to the wagon with her head down.

"Eli, take the best horse and whatever you need," Matt said as he reached out to shake the man's hand.  
"Good luck to you."

Eli looked at his brother, and Thom nodded.

Martha stood on tip-toe to place a kiss on Eli's cheek and said, "God be with you," then walked to the lead wagon and climbed on board.

Kitty squeezed Eli's arm. Then she and Matt headed over to the second wagon to give the brothers a moment alone.

Matt helped Kitty up and asked, "Are you sure, Kitty?"

The redhead smiled and tenderly touched his face. "I've got the rifle, and I've managed a team of horses before. Don't worry about me, Matt."

"Okay, but I'm going to miss you," Matt said with a grin as he started toward the last wagon.

Eli Harris took one last glance at the small wagon train and then spurred his horse across the river.

"We've got a lot of ground to cover, Martha."

With that, the three wagons continued on their journey home.

(TBC)


End file.
